In My Home This Week: A Fresh Start

In my home this week:

...We will continue to work away.  The rearrangement of furniture is almost done.  I have to clean the guest room in order to shift the work table and then fit the chiffarobe into the space where I want it.  It's been an exhausting month and I mean it.  And it ain't over yet.  There's no ornaments of any sort anywhere yet, no pictures hung (except in the dining room).  Our closet is still packed, and the pantry closet is, too.  It took the better part of 8 hours to sort and place books on the shelves.  I culled five boxes.  It was not the most painful thing I've ever done.  The truth is, I think I could cull a few more.  I seem to just be ready to let go of a lot of things at present.  Good thing... there are more books in the pantry closet.

 John is caught up in his own thing.  He started painting cabinets and doors.  The master bath is very nearly done, the guest bath is about half done and the kitchen just started.

Somehow the house is urging us onward.  We've asked for a tentative quote for the two back bedrooms and bath.  It feels like the right time to move forward with that, but we're thinking it will be after the holidays.



I kept Josh this weekend.  He's such a sweet little boy albeit a tiny bit stubborn in certain areas.  He had a mini meltdown Saturday afternoon when Mickey Mouse was not on television and he wanted it to be.  I took him up into my lap and rocked him to sleep in about five minutes...and there he stayed for over an hour and a half!  It was so peaceful to have a child in my arms, to rock steadily all that time.  I think it did me as much good as it did him.  Seeing how quickly his language skills have changed makes me anxious to see Taylor once again.  How much more can she do than before?  What can she say now that she couldn't a month ago?  And Rosa...she's the same age as Josh, how does she compare? 

I may not get to see all my grandchildren often, but I certainly do think of them often!  And lately I've added them to my prayer list, individually. I hope, in some way, they will feel my presence and my love for them in their lives even if they haven't seen me.

Onward to the new week!

...I plan my work week:


Clear out the pantry closet. 

Get the guest room emptied of all excess stuff.

Shift furnishings in that room. 

Accessorize and hang pictures in living room as much as I can.

Work on more Proverbial Woman posts.

 Paint, paint, paint.

Read a book to review.

Trip to stock up on meats. 

...I plan meals:

I have been remiss in this area.  It was hard to know how to plan last week without knowing how the kitchen would be out of commission.  Well that and the hard work, too.  I spent one morning painting after I'd got out the casserole to put in the oven.  Unfortunately, while I pre-heated the oven, I forgot to put the casserole in...It got started extra late that day but since John was taking a much needed nap, I thought it would work out just fine.  Nope.  It was still frozen in the middle an hour and a half later.  Then we missed having it for supper due to several unexpected events.  Sigh.  I wish I could tell you all that was the only meal I prepared and forgot to put in the oven but it wasn't.  I was just bumfuzzled all week long with every thing.

Chili, Pineapple Salad, Crackers

on my own x 2

Chicken and Dumpling Bake, Steamed Broccoli, Cranberry Sauce, Waldorf Salad

out to run errands

Chili Tortilla Stacks, Green Salad, Orange Gelatin

Almond Chicken, Rice, Mandarin and Pomegranite Salad


...I plan leisure:

This was sorely lacking last week. I worked many endless hours and agreed to keep Josh all weekend, too.   Two year old boys are not leisurely or restful, but they are delightful especially when their language ability is changing weekly!

Spa morning.

Day out with Mama.